Thoughts on eBay Coin "Make Offer" Listings?

C0inCollect0r · February 2, 2017 12:24PM

Hi folks,

I was scrolling through ebay coin listings today - It seems like many more sellers are adding the "Make Offer" option on their ebay Buy it Now listings. Do you think this is generally a good or bad idea for sellers? I suppose it invites negotiation but also seems to be a magnet for low offers. As a buyer do you tend to make an offer on these listings? Do you prefer "Make Offer" listings in general or no?

AMRC · February 2, 2017 12:29PM

I use them on anything over a certain dollar amount. They have "auto-decline" amounts set so that I do not have to deal with any offers below what I would be willing to take.

tander123 · February 2, 2017 12:30PM

For me it depends on how bad I want it. If I am worried it may be gone by the time the offer is reviewed, I'll snap it up. However, I haven't bought many coins on ebay lately.

WhiteTornado · February 2, 2017 1:13PM

I usually list items that way. Except for key dates or really hot items, you can take a bath letting things sell by true auction (unless you list it at a high starting bid). As someone else pointed out, you can use the auto-decline feature to ward off any tire-kickers. I like it as a buyer, too, it is a way to negotiate without getting into a bidding war.

KellenCoin · February 2, 2017 1:15PM

As a seller, I will add the Make Offer button if I just want to get rid of the coins

Aspie_Rocco · February 2, 2017 1:30PM

As a buyer I make offers constantly, even if they don't have a "make an offer" option. I believe you never know unless you ask. I have had many folks accept and many ignore.

I sell on eBay also and often use the "make an offer" feature, usually with automatic decline set at a certain level.
I personally enjoy negotiations and so leave the option open.
In addition, as a seller I want the best money possible yet as a collector I'm not looking to gouge anyone. Almost every make An Offer listing I have includes a surprising auto accept spread which includes a healthy % discount.

"For the other- other side of the coin"
I have recently learned the folly of making a lower counter offers to buyers when they purchase multiple items. Because I always offer free shipping I tried being nice a few times when accepting on offer out of multiple from a same buyer. Two buyers then sent even lower offers, and a third buyer graciously accepted the discount with out abusing the offered discount.

For example
Coin A-offer of $100 accepted
Coin B-offer of $50 I counter with 45 and a pleasant message thanks for multiple offers, here is a discount. Buyer then COUNTERS with $30 and I am dumbfounded and instantly educated.

Good luck and make that offer! If you hit 3 auto declines, send them a message.

If anyone thinks this behavior is improper please let me know.

bigjpst · February 2, 2017 1:36PM

I use make offer on nearly all my BIN listings. I used to use the auto decline feature, but decided that I wanted to see the offers. IF someone missed my auto-decline by a small amount I wanted to be able to send them a message. Some people wont send another offer if they don't get an actual response.

oih82w8 · February 2, 2017 2:01PM

I normally do the BIN/Make An Offer on my listings and incorporate some "haggle" room. What really steams my beans is when someone sends out those ridiculously low offers. On those, I decline, no counter-offer, and put in a kind phrase like "I hope that you find what you are looking for". If a close offer is thrown out there, I will counter. Most instances things work out well.

3keepSECRETif2rDEAD · February 2, 2017 2:10PM

I think the most important aspect to the eBay "Make An Offer" option as a seller, is to BOLDLY state in your description that you will review all offer's immediately. I know as an eBay buyer for many years how important it was when collecting eBay Bucks Promo's to be able to finalize my purchase before the Promo's end. So I offer that reassurance to potential buyers so they know that I will be quick or be dead

Unknown · February 2, 2017 2:11PM

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amwldcoin · February 2, 2017 2:58PM

When I get those low ridiculous offers I offer to buy any they can sell me at that level! Hasn't worked yet!

@oih82w8 said:
I normally do the BIN/Make An Offer on my listings and incorporate some "haggle" room. What really steams my beans is when someone sends out those ridiculously low offers. On those, I decline, no counter-offer, and put in a kind phrase like "I hope that you find what you are looking for". If a close offer is thrown out there, I will counter. Most instances things work out well.

illini420 · February 2, 2017 3:04PM

I always use the best offer option on my fixed price eBay listings. Pricing coins is not an exact science and if the buyers out there think I have priced a coin too high, the ability for them to make offers is one way for them to express that to me. It also gives me the opportunity to counter back if I think I'm more correct in the way I have priced a coin.

This is how sales work at a coin show for the most part. I price the coins and the buyer will sometimes buy them at that price if they agree it's a deal, but quite often they'll counter back with an offer and maybe a deal will get done, maybe not.

Walkerfan · February 2, 2017 3:06PM

I make reasonable offers and 'yes' I like it. Both the buyer and the seller can accept, reject or counter-offer from there, as well.

My last successful 'make an offer' purchase was 12.5% below the regular price, which I thought was fair.

CascadeChris · February 2, 2017 4:31PM

I sold a make offer coin for full price a few weeks ago. Buyer never even made an offer and the price was full retail. Go figure

Cougar1978 · February 2, 2017 4:58PM

If I have a lot of room in a coin or Banknote I will use the BIN / Make Offer feature. I use auto decline to weed out the low ball offers. I have had make offer material just go at full price too, makes my day.

On the other side of the equation I have had at times such low offers I wonder why they even wasted their time. When I run into these guys at shows I just laugh and say: "Do you have one to sell me at that?"

1630Boston · February 2, 2017 5:02PM

I don't buy or sell on Ebay [yet I guess] but it seems that it may add more work for the seller ?

GotTheBug · February 2, 2017 5:18PM

.

bronco2078 · February 2, 2017 6:07PM

I usually use make offer if I'm not exactly sure what something is worth. I will list at what I think is too high a price then see whether I get any offers. I never use auto decline , I'm not easily insulted so I don't worry about lowball offers , however if someone seems like they may be a jerk I will wait 47 hours and 59 minutes to respond to their offer

TopographicOceans · February 2, 2017 6:10PM

I never use the auto-decline.
I want to see all offers and then counter offer with my price.

As a buyer I hate OBO because I'm usually looking with an eBay bucks deal and if I make an offer I don't know if the seller will respond before the eBay bucks deal expires.

illini420 · February 2, 2017 6:26PM

@TopographicOceans said:
I never use the auto-decline.
I want to see all offers and then counter offer with my price.

As a buyer I hate OBO because I'm usually looking with an eBay bucks deal and if I make an offer I don't know if the seller will respond before the eBay bucks deal expires.

Well if you want to use eBay bucks you can always click buy it now and pay full price

But I've also had buyers send offers and in the text they tell me I only have 1 hour or 2 hours to respond to the offer as they're trying to use eBay bucks and that they will retract offer if I do not respond. Seems to be a way to do it if you're not waiting until the very last minute to use your eBay bucks.

Tetromibi · February 2, 2017 6:34PM

There is one seller that drives me nuts with the "best offer" option. Almost all of his items have the option, but when you go to make an offer, he either counters at $.01 under the original asking price or he declines.

Most recent example was an item that was listed at $55. I offered $50, which seemed reasonable. He declined, so I offered $52. He declined again. He then removed the best offer option and raised the price of the item to $60

I'm not sure what the point is of having a best offer button if you have no intent on negotiating. I now ignore his listings out of principle.

mustangmanbob · February 2, 2017 6:58PM

I run about 250 listings on average at all times. 99% are fixed price with a Best Offer, and I have the auto decline set to $1. I get maybe 1 - 2 stupid offers a day, and I just decline them. No big deal.

Even with everything have a best offer, about 1/3 of my things sell for the full buy it now.

I also use the best offer feature to check the feedback left for others by the offerer. When I see lots of negatives and neutrals left, it is someone I do not want to deal with, so I just block them.

logger7 · February 2, 2017 7:02PM

I let people make offers, and will respond based on what I paid, etc.. I don't want to run a system on auto-pilot; and ebay straight auctions are a recipe for loss or an emotional roller coaster which I don't need. Nice rare items are usually fast sells or once others see there are offers they pull the trigger before they lose the chance.

1630Boston · February 2, 2017 7:04PM

@mustangmanbob
Thanks for your learned advice, that may come in handy if I sell on the BAY. I appreciate you posting that.

SeattleSlammer · February 2, 2017 8:53PM

I'm in the "always make an offer even if it's not an official option" camp.

callawayc7 · February 2, 2017 8:55PM

As a buyer I like it. However, I usually offer my max and hardly ever accept any counter offers.

1630Boston · February 2, 2017 8:55PM

@SeattleSlammer
An offer that you can afford to pay is almost never a risk for yourself.
I agree with your methodology.

Mb423 · February 3, 2017 12:05AM

Not a big seller, but have had better luck selling without best offer. If my price is too high I'll cut it, but best offer invites lowballers

derryb · February 3, 2017 1:52AM

"Make Offer" tells me seller knows he has it priced too high. On the flip side some sellers believe that a buyer who is made to think he bargained for the coin is more likely to buy.

Zoins · February 3, 2017 2:15AM

I don't mind responding to Make an Offer.

For high priced items, I feel like I need to know how much it's worth. When I do, I can provide a reasonable offer and complete the deal. Even when I can pay the price, I'd like to pay a reasonable price.

For low priced items, I generally don't make an offer anymore, but I just pay the price. I had a low priced item that I made an offer on. The seller packaged it in a flimsy way so the package fell apart during shipping, I'm guessing to get the insurance. I got my money back but never got the item.

ricko · February 3, 2017 5:02AM

I have used the 'Make Offer' a few times - on non numismatic items... each time, my offer was accepted. I assume my offer was even better than the seller expected.... Or they were just tired of the item collecting dust at their facility/house. Cheers, RickO

Broadstruck · February 3, 2017 5:37AM

I don't use the "auto decline" feature as I prefer the "auto refuse to even bother acknowledging your idiotically low offer" feature instead

As if you have the guts to make me a low-ball offer which is way below wholesale or even a fire sale then you can sit there and stew for 48 hours awaiting no response

1630Boston · February 3, 2017 6:17AM

Interesting approach.

mustangmanbob · February 3, 2017 7:33AM

The other feature of best offer that "Does Not Exist" like secret menus at fast food restaurants, is bundling multiple sales for overseas shipments. Items shipped through ebay's Global are 1 listing 1 sale 1 shipping price. So if a person wants 3 different items, you cannot combine them, and the buyer gets hit with 3 separate shipping charges (not cheap). Once they hit the buy it now, they are stuck. Since best offer allows HIGHER than listed price, Using the best offer, I can accept 1, and add others on the bottom of the invoice, since they all will be riding in the same box.

Example: Buyer wants 3 items, listed at $50 each, but the shipping is $45 each. I can accept an offer for $120 on the first item, and decline offers on the other 2, so the buyer pays $120 ($40 an item is good enough for me) and pays a single $45 shipping charge. Since my stuff is typically bigger than a coin, that can save $30 to $80 per item for an overseas buyer.

It also allows adding of small items before an invoice is sent. For example, the buyer wants a listed item, and asks if I have A or B also available, not listed. I reply that I do, and it is an extra $15, so the buyer just adjusts their offer upward by $15.

Part of my "modus operandi" in the business world (I was an engineering manager) was probing the computer systems to see what they could be made to do, that was not listed as a feature, but if you did A then C then F, a result that was never envisioned would occur. There are a lot of back door "things" that can be done on ebay that are not documented.

1630Boston · February 3, 2017 7:36AM

Interesting

Wabbit2313 · February 3, 2017 8:02AM

If I am kicked out by an auto decline on an offer, I never go back. If you check make an offer, at least look at the offer made.

Mr Lindy · February 3, 2017 9:25AM

My latest counter of $2200 on a $3900 ebay coin was accepted. On another recent offer I was auto declined at $330 on a $360 coin, then successful at $340 with free delivery. With eBay's current 8% bonus bucks back deal, ending tonight, I'm down real close to 1/4 ounce gold melt value. This commemorative is housed in a NGC ms69 holder.

Pushkin · February 3, 2017 10:07AM

I've used the make offer button multiple times for coins and other items on eBay, and have had quite a few successes getting coins at 15% - 20% below BIN. Of course, I only offer what I want to pay. If the buyer doesn't accept my offer, fine, "there is always another coin".

For selling I use the Make Offer occasionally, usually when I jut want to get rid of a coin. I put an "auto accept" at the price that I want so that I don't have to spend time negotiating.

Aspie_Rocco · February 3, 2017 11:29AM

Have you noticed eBay bucks don't work on numismatic items and bullion?

Wabbit2313 · February 3, 2017 11:33AM

@Aspie_Rocco said:
Have you noticed eBay bucks don't work on numismatic items and bullion?

You have to be logged into PayPal and then you can use them. It has never applied to bullion anyway.

Aspie_Rocco · February 3, 2017 11:38AM

I tried unsuccessfully
But I was fortunate enjoy to find a seller willing to recategorize so that I could use my bucks. I tried trough PayPal and eBay on December.

Thoughts on eBay Coin "Make Offer" Listings?

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